Mistakes U.S. Companies Make When Working With Influencers

June 2017 Hue, Vietnam - Colorful bundles of sticks are used for making incense. (Getty Royalty Free)

I was recently at an event with individuals deemed “influencers.” As I listened, the conversation turned to how poorly U.S. companies understood influencers, especially relative to companies in other countries. It’s often assumed that U.S. companies are fairly sophisticated at marketing tactics, so I found this quite interesting—companies headquartered in other parts of the world are doing a better job understanding and leveraging influencers. Carter Hostelley, CEO of Leadtail, a B2B social media agency that works with influencers, suggests that U.S. marketers aren’t doing the upfront research to identify the right influencers to align with, and then don’t treat them as a highly-valued relationship to nurture and grow.

To build on Hostelley’s perspective, I reached out to a number of influencers to get perspective on the key mistakes that U.S. companies are making (that their counterparts around the world aren’t).

Key Mistakes U.S. Companies Make:

Sending multiple generic inquiries without establishing context

Mass marketing approaches and sending generic inquiries multiple times generally doesn't work with influencers. Influencers invest significant time publishing posts and sharing information over social media channels. We thrive on having two-way conversations with people about areas of interest and will opt to work with brands that establish ongoing, value-driven relationships.” —Isaac Sacolick, President of StarCIO and Author of Driving Digital

Ignoring the role of emotion in productive business relationships

Too many sales professionals believe that logic, rather than emotion, drives influencer decisions. They view a sale as an argument to be won with features and specs--rather than as a relationship to be built. As a result, B2B sellers today too often are inadequately educated in the core relationship building skills that enable them to connect with an influencer, engage their interest, build their trust, influence their recommendations and inspire them to take action.” —Andy Paul, Founder, The Sales House

Viewing exposure as currency

Companies often look to influencers to expand their reach into new networks. In return, companies offer exposure as the value the influencer gains from the opportunity. However, exposure is neither a currency nor of value for the influencer. The irony is that the influencer already has currency otherwise the company would not leverage them. Genuine influencers are often looking for tangible value in the form of a mutually beneficial relationship that spans more than a single transaction.” —Tim Crawford, CIO Strategic Advisor, AVOA

Focusing on tactical deliverables over strategic value

Influencer Marketing should never be viewed through the lens of a campaign or as a piece of content. And yet many B2B firms will ask influencers to create a white paper, speak on a webinar, contribute a blog article or send out some tweets. The real value comes from an influencer who is strategically aligned with the message and value of the company they are working with. B2B firms who want to see real value from their influencer relations take this more strategic approach.” —Michael Brenner, Keynote Speaker, Author and CEO of Marketing Insider Group

Expecting a B2B influencer to jump in and share about a product or technology without being a current user or fully knowledgeable

The influencer needs to be fully educated on the current status of the product. If that requirement is not met, an influencer cannot possibly give legitimate advice. They cannot answer questions from an engaged audience. It requires a deeper investment.” —Marsha Collier, President, The Collier Company, Inc.

Confusing attention with loyalty

A major enterprise technology brand cultivated influencers with expensive trips, fancy hotels, and other valuable rewards. Of course, the anointed influencers lined up to take part – seriously, who wouldn’t want an all-expenses-paid trip to some exotic destination? Influencers then lavished the brand with love and affection on social media. Often, without even including a disclosure about the in-kind payments.

When the fabulous influencer payments stopped, the social media attention evaporated, and today that influencer program is but a shadow of its former self.

Moral of the story: money does not buy loyalty. If you want an influencer’s long-term attention, then build a long-term relationship. There’s nothing wrong with hiring an influencer to provide meaningful deliverables if it makes sense.

Although you can trade cash and gifts for page views and attention, that trade has little to do with developing durable, long-lasting loyalty relationships with influencers.” —Michael Krigsman, Industry Analyst and Host, CXOTALK

Missed opportunities

One of the most frequent egregious errors I encounter are during large events. Let me set the stage for you: Enterprise B2B company spends huge budget flying in a bunch of influencers from around the world, but when it comes time for the main event, there isn't any reserved seating for the influencer group. You see, as a global technology influencer, I always try to get as close to the front during main keynote sessions as I can so that I can capture great images and photos on my phone to post onto Twitter and LinkedIn in real time. As an influencer I'm there to work. My job is to create as much buzz on social media, and craft potent brand recognition and sizzle around the event through sharing interesting images, quotes and content with my audience as possible. If I've got to snag a seat in the back, (but I've been flown in to capture the event in all its glory), it's really not as compelling on social media when I'm posting photos of the stage from the nosebleed seats...how many interesting images can you capture of the Jumbo Tron and the conference logo before your audience tunes out? The lack of reserved seating is not only a huge missed opportunity for the brand, but it's sending an incongruent message to your influencers. You're a VIP they say, handing you a cocktail napkin wrapped around a chicken satay skewer at the VIP influencer reception. VIP until you attempt to find an open seat in the first 250 rows whilst being hotly pursued by a guy wearing a bright red uniformed jacket wildly waving a flashlight around as if he were landing a Boeing 757. This same guy is shouting at me, fighting to be heard above the DJ's pump and jam as conference attendees are filling into the main stage auditorium lightning-fast like a wave of ants converging on an abandoned slice of watermelon in July. This usher-guy is shouting that I'm wearing the wrong colored badge to be in this section. Perplexed, I look down at my conference badge hanging around my neck at precisely the same time his wand of light precisely points out that my badge is branded, "Press/Analyst." calling me out like Hester Prynne and with a grand gesture of his mini-lightsaber, I am voted off the VIP island and sent packing to the back of the stadium. Want the most out of your influencers? Treat them like you want them there. Show them that you value their time and their work. Go the distance by making sure your influencers have VIP access to seating, speakers, events and booths. Consider backstage access. Imagine the incredible brand amplification! Perhaps a quick meet and greet with the CEO or other top executives and celebrities. If you are working to get your message out on social media, and desiring to highlight how amazing your event is, don't miss the opportunity to have your influencers provide a VIP experience to their audience.” —Tamara McCleary, CEO, Thulium.co

As a former General Manager and CMO, who worked for nearly 20 years before getting a PhD and working as an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, I conduct research that focuses on helping the C-suite (and aspiring C-level marketers) ...